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<p>We highlight Vietnam as a country of concern in the annual Foreign and Commonwealth
Office human rights report published on 10 April.</p><p>Our assessment is the Vietnamese
government is allowing more space for religious expression and has increased the number
of churches and places of worship approved for use in 2013. In general the Vietnamese
are able to practise the religion of their choosing and a number of prominent Ministers,
including the Prime Minister, are openly Buddhist.</p><p>The authorities take a harder
line when religious groups are involved in political movements, with persecution taking
place in this context.</p><p>Our Embassy continues to promote freedom of religion
and belief in this atmosphere and meets with leaders of all faiths. In January they
accepted a petition by families of Catholic activists on trial and supported an EU
statement calling for the Vietnamese to uphold freedom of expression in these cases.
Staff also attended meetings, alongside other EU Member States, with the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs calling for greater transparency over allegations that authorities
had intimidated Catholics in Nghe An province.</p><p>We also make sure to raise our
concerns at a Ministerial level at every opportunity – be it through the annual UK-Vietnam
Strategic Dialogue in October 2013 or the Foreign Secretary's meeting with Deputy
Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh earlier this month. The UK also runs projects deisgned
to allow greater scope for civil society to develop and receive basic protections
when raising their concerns and pursuing their beliefs.</p>
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